


Business Partner

by VNVdarkangel



Series: The rivals that became lovers [4]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Conversations, F/F, HthaN-worldline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27407311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VNVdarkangel/pseuds/VNVdarkangel
Summary: Tsubasa hears about Nico's termination and subsequent plans
Relationships: Kira Tsubasa/Kousaka Honoka
Series: The rivals that became lovers [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2003050
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Business Partner

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [How to Handle a Nico](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11966871) by [Ryqoshay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryqoshay/pseuds/Ryqoshay). 



The news of idol Yazawa Nico, aka Nico-Nii, getting fired from her agency for breach of contract didn’t cause much of a ripple through the idol world. It was an almost daily occurrence of Idols that couldn’t or didn’t want to live by the stringent and misogynistic rules of the industry. A photo, taken by a disgruntled fan, had been leaked online earlier that day, prompting the termination. The photo depicted a tender moment between Yazawa and the ex-µ’s member Nishikino Maki.

* * *

While no longer an Idol, Tojo Nozomi, kept an eye on things concerning her flat mate, so when the photo began its spread through social media and forums, Nozomi caught wind of it very early and figured what the fallout would be and began to send out messages. Checking the again a while later, she read the short statement from Nico’s productions company. She’d been terminated for breach of contract. No other explanation was given, but none was needed. The photo had burned Nico’s life to the ground.

* * *

Later that evening Honoka was on a video-call with Tsubasa. Electronic video communication was a poor substitute for having Tsubasa near, but it was better than only texting. So, when A-RISE was on tour, many hours were spent in front of laptops in the late night, talking about everything and nothing.  
Just like tonight.

“You heard that Nico-chan got fired?” Honoka asked a newly showered Tsubasa, hundreds of miles away.  
“I did. Erena told me during rehearsal. How is she taking it?”  
“Nozomi-chan says she’s crushed. I mean… her life, just gone.”  
“I think she knew what the price might be.” Looking with soft eyes into the camera, Tsubasa added, “As do I. And I’ll pay it if I have to.”  
“Tsubasa-chan. Don’t put yourself in danger! Besides, Nozomi-chan wrote later that Nico-chan is thinking about starting her own. Tossing out the old rulebook.”  
“Her own? What?” Tsubasa’s expression suddenly changed to surprise, “Her own agency? That would be a massive undertaking… she’d need money and staff and…” Tsubasa’s voice drifted off.  
“Tsubasa-chan… Tsubasa-chan?” Honoka waved at the camera.  
“Sorry, just got an idea… but it’s kinda late. Never mind… now tell me… what are you wearing?” she giggled.  
“You’re the worst! You can see what I’m wearing…”

* * *

After the video call ended, Tsubasa lay awake, staring at the shadows playing through the open window of her hotel room. Nico had been fired for dating and was now thinking about starting her own agency not bound by the old rules of their shared, oh right, formerly shared careers. Nico would be free to do what she wanted.

_What she wants… hmm… she’ll continue to date Maki for sure, she’ll never blame her for what happened. They would be free to date openly, even if Nico still performs. Maybe…_

Tsubasa’s thoughts shifted back to her girlfriend, the bubble and wonderful Honoka. Admittedly, the Kosaka’s had been very accommodating with giving Tsubasa a key to their home and more or less free access to come and go as she pleased. She had even been able to whisk away Honoka every now and then under the guise of reunions for some… personal time.  
But with an agency that didn’t enforce the no-dating shackles of the industry, that would be an agency for the idols and fans alike, not only the fans…  
Tsubasa quickly lifted her phone and dialled.

“Tsubasa?”, the slightly sleepy voice of Anju said.  
“Don’t answer Erena’s phone, you know how dangerous it is.”  
“You called us.” She yawned, “What’s up?”  
“Nico is going to start her own agency. No old rules.”  
“Oh.. great.” The answer sounded anything but enthusiastic.

Tsubasa waited.

“Wait… what?!?”  
“What’s going on?” Tsubasa heard Erena’s voice coming from her headset.  
“Yazawa Nico is going to open her own agency. No more old rules.”  
“Is.. that…” Tsubasa heard the phone being handed over, “How good is the information?”  
“Honoka. So, I’d say reliable.”  
“What are you thinking?”  
“We should join them.”  
“Oh?”  
“Just think of it, you won’t have to sneak around, we could actually be home for once and I’d get more time with Honoka.”  
“So you want to do this to have more time with your girlfriend.”  
“Yes. But also, I think this could really take off. If I go into the business as say… a partner, we could do A-RISE and the sub-unit stuff like we wanted.”

After a few moments, Erena said:  
“You’re set on it?”  
“I think it is too good an opportunity to pass up. I know I’d regret it if I didn’t try. And we could work with Nico directly instead through some agency stooge. Combine me and her… and you have the style of A-RISE and the energy of Nico-Nii. It’s perfect.”

Tsubasa heard some mumbling in the background that lasted for almost a minute.

“We’re in. Going to call her now?”  
“Not this late, but tomorrow before breakfast.”  
“Cool. Tell us then. _And don’t call again!_ ” Erena hung up.

Tsubasa leaned back, putting back her phone. They would go for it. She just knew.  
During the night a message was received by Tsubasa’s phone

_We’re in._

* * *

The next morning after breakfast, Tsubasa took out her phone, scrolled the contact list and pressed _Dail._

“Hello, Tsubasa?” Nico answered.  
“Good morning, Nico. Honoka-chan tells me you’re looking to start an idol production agency.” Tsubasa said.  
“The subject has come up…” Nico sounded slightly hesitant.

_I think Honoka oversold this to me… Nico hasn’t decided yet._

“You’re going to go up against some large and well-established companies.” Tsubasa said more as a challenge than a warning.  
“Independent agents have been successful in the sports industry. Maybe I can do the same in the idol industry.”

_“I”? She’s set on doing it alone?_

“So, you intend to go it alone?”  
“Apparently, I’ve already got an investor and an employee.”

_I think I know who those might be, but…_

“How about a partner?” Tsubasa said, hoping it sounded confident.  
“A what?”  
“A partner. Name on the wall. Corner office. Business partner.”  
“I… uhm… don’t think I have one of those, yet.”

_Yes!_

“Do you want one?” Tsubasa tried to sound as neutral as she could.  
“I… uhm…”  
“Because this sounds like an amazing opportunity and I want in.” Tsubasa couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice, “You know I wanted to tour with you, right? I’m pretty sure I mentioned that at a reunion or two.”  
“Yeah…”  
“But this might give us a different way to work together. And the timing is interesting as well.”  
“Oh?”  
“Erena, Anju and I were actually talking about the possibility of A-RISE taking a brief hiatus so I could spend some time with Honoka-chan and not be on tour all the time. One suggestion they made was forming their own subgroup and doing some local work during that time. Were I to join your new company, I could still stay active in the industry.”

After a moments silence Nico said:  
“It will be a lot of work.”  
“True, but it can stay local. I can still have my nights with Honoka-chan instead of being in another city, hundreds of kilometres away.” Tsubasa paused. “And Erena and Anju could be our first clients!”  
“I think I’ll have to speak with my investor first…” Nico said, clearly thinking on what Tsubasa had said.

_I can think of only one…_

“Is it Maki?”  
“Yeah…” Was it that obvious?

_Well, yes. Who else would know and have the capital? Apart from me._

“That’s fine. Honestly, I think we should all meet, even your prospective employee. It’s Hanayo, right?”  
“Yes, it’s Hanayo. And that might be a good idea.”

_It’s happening. We’re really doing this._

“Great. I’ll set up a LINE chatroom and send out invites.”  
“Uhm, Nozomi and Eli have offered to give business advice based on what they’ve learned running their restaurant.”

_This is almost like a re-union. Wonder if Maki will stare daggers at me._

“I’ll invite them as well, then.” Tsubasa said.  
“Alright.”  
“You know, Nico, I really think this will be a good thing. We have an unprecedented opportunity to break away from the standards of the industry and really do things our own way. And with our combined star power, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I’m really looking forward to it.”

_And make the company special._

“Yeah, me too.”  
“So we’ll see you on LINE then later.”  
“Yeah, see you.”

Tsubasa ended the call, and setting up the LINE group, she thought of the future ahead where she would act on the promise she had made to her girlfriend’s parents.

**Author's Note:**

> This connects to the chapter [... Another Opens](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11966871/chapters/28243983) in How to handle a Nico by Ryqoshay and the "Direct-Talk" fics are a continuation of it.
> 
> The phone conversation between Nico and Tsubasa is taken verbatim from the above mentioned chapter.


End file.
